Happy September 🙂
I am back to the blog after taking a few months off for summer.
I’ve missed the blog and you so much! Hoping you are well, safe, happy, and secure.
This summer for me was a unique one… and a bit of an unexpected adventure. I worked remotely from northern Wisconsin where I was lucky enough to stay at a friends cottage on a little island which I call “Tranquility Island.” My friends decided to stay put at their home out East for the summer and were kind enough to offer me the place to enjoy.
I wish I could transport you there and give you a tour of the one acre slice of heaven. It was originally part of a boy’s camp on the mainland which started in 1905. The current cottage was the old recreation hall which had sleeping areas on the front and back porch for the campers. A small and cozy little spot.
From the moment I arrived the place was simply magical. It was truly what you would call “camp.” The more I looked around the more I saw.
Name of boys carved into the walls from 80 years ago… eagles nesting right outside my front door on the tall trees…the waves softly hitting the banks of the island outside my window.
The best part for me? A beautiful old desk that I believe was in the camp office years ago. Many hours were spent at that desk working for my company out East on Zoom calls as well as evenings writing and creating my program, Sober Tranquility.
It was the perfect retreat. Early mornings, Yoga with Adrien on the dock (ps. check out her FREE videos on YouTube. Love her!) followed by long but fun work days ending with dinner with my parents nearby at their cottage.
This adventure was as well an invitation into courage. I soon learned that I had a few guests…
- Mice
- Racoons
- Possibly a few bats
- And whether you believe me or not… a few spirits.
I was ready to hightail it out of there after my dog was acting erratically and refusing to enter the cottage… but then I began reading about the history of the boys camp AND the girls camp on nearby on the same lake. The owners of the camps were married and the history is rich and beautiful. As I read about the modern day tagline for the girls camp which is still in operation, I was struck by the middle word…
- Confidence
- Courage
- Compassion
“Okay Meg,” I thought… “if 12 year old girls can do this so you can you.” I’m not going to lie… many nights I DID hop in my little 1930’s Bucky Badger red john boat and fly back to my parents 🙂
The mice? I didn’t have the heart to kill them. The watchman for the home dropped off mouse traps and peanut butter. Instead of setting the traps, I decided the little dark grey mouse hiding behind the desk wasn’t really a nuisance. Nor was the one who often flew across the kitchen floor under the fridge. 🙂 They were probably wondering “who IS she? And why the heck did she invade our home with that DOG?!”
The bats? Well, I’m not really sure if they were mice instead? All I knew is there was some rustling in the cupboards at one point 🙂
Now let’s talk about the raccoons. Normally I wouldn’t bother with them but being on an island was a bit scary knowing the damage they can cause to dogs if provoked…and you know I had to keep my Birdie girl safe!
If you would have told me by summers end I would be a pro at setting a live trap I would have laughed… but I actually trapped two of the cutest little buggers. I would wake up each morning peeking outside to see if there was someone waiting for me. When I saw two little ears and eyes popping up the watchman would pick them up and release them miles away across the lake. (Yes, I set the trap but NO I did not release them myself! Maybe next year…)
And the spirits?
You may laugh but have you ever walked into home, building, or even out in the forest and felt a presence? That is exactly what I felt.
This topic, however, is an entirely separate blog entry! Let’s just say I think we all have the power to connect beyond the veil and if you think it’s all “woo woo” I respect that… but do we really know what we don’t know?? What I took from my summer on Tranquility Island was this…
- Sometimes taking a break or reset, even if it’s for a 20 minute walk during the work day, can work wonders.
- The power of nature is magic. Whether you reside in a rural area, the suburbs, or the city the mysticism of nature is available to you if you know where to look.
- Making your home a sanctuary is heaven on earth. Again, whether it’s an apartment in the city or a home in the country (or a 115 year old cabin on an island) you have the power to create an ambience that inspires and supports your goals.
Just last night I was sitting on my parent’s porch wrapped in a blanket listening to beautiful Scottish music, watching the deer eat from the apple tree, smelling the caramel candle burning, and feeling the cool breeze on my skin. I realized at heart I really am a home body.
For years I fought the draw to stay home because I thought I “should” be busy. GO GO GO. Packed schedule. Plans every night.
It didn’t leave time to just “be.” To listen to the sounds of the city or the owls in the forest.
The thing is, we can create tranquility wherever we are. As I bring myself back to civilization so to speak, I carry with me the sense of peace I felt this summer and the notion that magic swirls around us wherever we are.
Oh… and my journey in Sober Tranquility? That continues as well. If you are interested in taking a break or just reducing your alcohol intake, check out my 30 Day Reset by clicking here.
I’d love to hear about any adventures or any simple pleasures you experienced this summer.
In the meantime, I wish you a lovely week.
XO,
Meg
